Pratica di Shadowing: The Power of Positive Thinking | English Listening & Shadowing Practice (B1–B2) | The Cozy English - Impara a parlare inglese con i video

Creazione lezione...
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Hey everyone, welcome back to The Cozy English.
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I'm Emma.
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And I'm Daniel.
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It's really nice to have you here with us again.
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Emma, how has your day been so far?
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Honestly, my morning wasn't great.
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I woke up late, I spilled tea on my desk, and then I couldn't find my headphones for 20 minutes.
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Wow, that's already three problems before breakfast.
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Exactly.
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And for a moment, I thought, okay, this is going to be a terrible day.
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I do that too.
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Last week I missed my bus, forgot my wallet at home, and got caught in the rain.
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I remember thinking, everything is going wrong today.
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But was the whole day actually bad?
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Not really.
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The funny thing is, after lunch, everything became normal again.
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But my brain had already decided it was a bad day.
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I think many people do that.
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One small problem happens and suddenly we say, today is ruined.
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Yeah, we let ten bad minutes control ten whole hours.
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That's actually why I wanted to talk about today's topic.
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Sometimes the way we think changes everything.
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Positive thinking.
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Exactly.
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And we're not talking about pretending everything is perfect.
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Because life isn't perfect.
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Right.
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Sometimes you're tired.
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Sometimes you're sad.
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Sometimes things really go wrong.
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But maybe we can choose how we look at those situations.
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Let me ask you something.
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When your bus left without you, what was your first thought?
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Honestly?
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I'm so unlucky.
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And how did that make you feel?
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Annoyed.
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Angry.
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I started noticing every other bad thing around me.
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That's interesting.
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One thought created more negative thoughts.
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Exactly.
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And later I met a friend for coffee, and he said, well, at least you have a good story now.
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Did that change your mood?
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It really did.
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Suddenly it didn't feel like a disaster anymore.
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I think positive thinking often starts with small changes.
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Instead of saying, everything is terrible, maybe we can say, this moment is difficult.
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That's much gentler.
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Or instead of, I ruined my day, we can say, my morning didn't go as planned.
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You know, when I was younger, I thought positive people never had problems.
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Me too.
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But now I think positive people still have problems.
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They just don't let those problems become their entire story.
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I love that.
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Have you ever had a small problem completely change your mood?
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Oh, yes.
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Perhaps one email or one mistake at work makes me think I'm doing everything wrong.
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Why do you think that happens?
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Maybe because we're very hard on ourselves.
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We expect everything to go perfectly.
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And when it doesn't, we immediately think negatively.
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But perhaps one bad moment doesn't mean a bad day.
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And one difficult day doesn't mean a bad life.
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Today we're going to talk about how positive thinking can change the way we see ourselves, our problems, and our future.
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So grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let's talk about it together.
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Before we started recording today, you said something interesting, Daniel. Did I?
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I say many strange things.
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You said, I'm terrible at remembering names.
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Oh yes, that's absolutely true.
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But are you really terrible at it?
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Well, maybe not terrible.
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I just forget names sometimes.
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See?
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That's what we're talking about today.
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The voice inside our heads.
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Ah, the little voice that talks all day.
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Exactly.
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Sometimes it helps us, but sometimes it can be very negative.
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Mine likes to say things like, you're not good enough, or you're going to make a mistake.
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I think many people have that voice, especially when they're learning English.
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Oh yes, I hear students say, my English is awful all the time.
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Have you ever said that to yourself?
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Definitely.
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When I started learning guitar, I remember thinking, I'm too slow.
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Everyone else is better.
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How did that make you feel?
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Honestly, a little embarrassed.
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I didn't want to practice in front of anyone.
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Why?
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Because I thought people would judge me.
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Did anyone actually judge you?
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Not really.
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Most people were very supportive.
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Isn't that interesting?
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Sometimes the negative voice is much louder than reality.
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That's true.
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We often believe our own thoughts without questioning them.
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I had something similar when I started speaking English with foreigners.
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After every conversation, I would think, I made so many mistakes.
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Did someone tell you that?
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No. It was just my own voice.
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What changed?
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One friend told me, you communicate very well.
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I was surprised because I only saw my mistakes.
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Sometimes other people see us more kindly than we see ourselves.
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Exactly.
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That's why positive thinking isn't saying, I'm perfect.
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Because nobody is.
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Instead, it's saying, I'm improving.
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I like the word, yet.
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Me too.
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Instead of saying, I can't do this, we can say, I can't do this yet.
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That one word changes everything.
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It gives us hope.
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Let me ask you something.
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If your best friend said, I'm terrible at English, what would you say?
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I'd probably say, no, you're learning.
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Give yourself some time.
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Would you call your friends stupid?
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Never.
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Then why do we speak to ourselves that way?
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That's a very good question.
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Sometimes we're our own worst critics.
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And maybe positive thinking begins when we become a little kinder to ourselves.
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Not because we want to ignore our mistakes.
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But because we want to keep going.
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Learning, growing and improving take time.
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And the voice inside our heads matters.
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So maybe today, if you hear yourself saying, I'm not good enough, try changing it.
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Maybe say, I'm still learning.
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Or, I'm getting better.
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Or even, I'll try again tomorrow.
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Small changes in our words can create big changes in our minds.
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And sometimes, the most important conversation is the one we have with ourselves.
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You know, we've been talking a lot about the voice inside our own heads.
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The little voice that sometimes helps us and sometimes makes us nervous.
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Exactly.
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But I think another important thing is the voices around us.
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You mean our friends, family, teachers and co-workers?
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Yes.
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The people around us can really affect how we think about ourselves.
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That's very true.
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I still remember one teacher from high school.
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Really?
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What happened?
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I had to give a presentation in class and I was extremely nervous.
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My hands were shaking.
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Oh no. Before I started, my teacher said, Take your time.
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You always have good ideas.
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That's such a simple sentence.
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Yes, but I still remember it after many years.
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How did it make you feel?
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Honestly, I felt calmer.
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Someone believed in me before I believed in myself.
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I think many of us have moments like that. Do you?
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Yes.
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When I first started working, I was very quiet during meetings.
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Why?
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I thought everyone else was smarter than me.
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That's a common feeling.
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One day, my manager asked, Emma, what do you think?
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I said I didn't have anything important to say. And then?
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She said, Your ideas are always thoughtful.
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We'd like to hear them.
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Wow.
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I still remember those words.
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Did it change anything?
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Slowly, yes.
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I started speaking more.
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Not because I suddenly became smarter, but because I felt supported.
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It's amazing how one sentence can stay with us for years.
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And unfortunately, negative words can stay with us too.
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That's true.
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Sometimes people tell us we're not talented enough or not good enough.
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Have you ever experienced that?
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Yes.
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When I was younger, someone told me I wasn't very creative.
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That must have hurt.
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It did.
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For a long time, I believed it.
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What changed?
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A friend encouraged me to start writing again.
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He said, you always tell good stories.
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It's interesting how one person can close a door, but another person can open it.
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Exactly.
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That's why positive thinking isn't only about ourselves, it's also about the people around us.
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Sometimes we can become that encouraging person for someone else.
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Maybe a classmate who is afraid to speak English.
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Or a friend who wants to try something new.
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Sometimes all they need to hear is, you can do it.
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Or, take your time.
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Or even, I'm proud of you.
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Let me ask you something.
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Has anyone ever said something positive to you that you still remember today?
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That's a beautiful question.
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And maybe another question.
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Have you ever said something kind that changed someone else's day?
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Because words are powerful.
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They can build confidence.
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They can give hope.
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And sometimes they help people see themselves differently.
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So maybe today we can all choose our words a little more carefully.
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Both for ourselves and for the people we care about.
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Because one kind sentence can stay in someone's heart for a very long time.
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We've talked about our thoughts and the people around us.
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but I think positive thinking becomes much harder when life is difficult.
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Definitely.
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It's easy to stay positive when everything is going well.
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But what about when things don't go well?
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Like failing an exam, losing a job, or going through a difficult time.
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Exactly.
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Have you ever experienced a moment when it was hard to stay hopeful?
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Yes, actually.
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A few years ago, I worked very hard on a project that completely failed.
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Oh no, what happened?
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I spent months on it, but in the end, nothing worked.
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I felt like all my effort was wasted.
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That sounds really disappointing.
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It was.
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For several weeks, I kept thinking, maybe I'm not good enough.
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What was the hardest part?
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Honestly, it wasn't the failure itself.
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It was feeling like I had disappointed myself.
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I understand that.
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Have you ever experienced something similar?
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Yes.
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When I was learning English, there was a period when I felt completely stuck.
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Really?
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Yes.
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I studied every day, but I couldn't see any progress.
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I started thinking, maybe I'll never become fluent.
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How did that make you feel?
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frustrated, and a little sad.
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What helped you continue?
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One day I realised that positive thinking doesn't mean saying, everything is wonderful.
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That's an important point.
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Sometimes things are difficult.
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Sometimes we're tired or disappointed.
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And pretending to be happy all the time can actually make us feel worse.
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Exactly.
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Instead, I started saying, this is hard right now, but it won't stay this way forever.
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I really like that.
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What helped you after your project failed?
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I talked to a close friend.
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He asked me, what did you learn from it?
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That's a good question.
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At first I said, nothing.
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But after thinking about it, I realised I had learned a lot.
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So the experience still had value.
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Yes.
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The failure hurt, but it also taught me things.
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I think positive thinking during difficult times is really about hope.
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Not pretending.
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Not ignoring pain.
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Not forcing yourself to smile.
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Just believing that today's problem isn't the end of the story.
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Sometimes we only see the difficult moment in front of us.
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But life is usually much bigger than one mistake or one bad experience.
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And progress is often very slow.
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Especially when we're learning something new.
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Or trying to change our lives.
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So if you're listening right now and going through a difficult time, maybe you don't need to be perfectly positive.
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Maybe you only need one small thought.
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Such as, I can try again.
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Or this won't last forever.
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Or even, I'm doing the best I can today.
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Because positive thinking isn't about denying difficult moments.
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It's about believing that difficult moments can change.
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And sometimes hope is enough to help us take the next step.
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We've talked about bad days, negative thoughts, supportive people, and difficult times.
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And now I have a question.
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Go ahead.
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Can positive thinking actually become a habit?
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I think it can.
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Not overnight, of course.
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Unfortunately.
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But small actions every day can slowly change the way we think.
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What's one habit that helps you?
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Every evening, I try to think of three good things that happen during the day.
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Really?
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Even on bad days?
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Especially on bad days.
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What kinds of things?
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Sometimes they're very small.
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Maybe I had a good cup of coffee.
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Maybe a friend sent me a message.
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Maybe I finished a difficult task.
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I like that.
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It reminds us that not everything is bad.
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Exactly.
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What about you?
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I go for walks.
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Walks?
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Yes.
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When I stay inside and keep thinking about my problems, everything feels bigger.
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But when I walk outside, my mind becomes quieter.
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That makes sense.
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Sometimes I don't solve the problem, but I stop worrying about it so much.
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Another habit that helps me is avoiding comparison.
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Oh, that's a difficult one.
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Especially these days.
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We see people online travelling, succeeding, learning new skills.
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And suddenly we think we're falling behind.
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Have you ever felt that?
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Many times.
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I look at someone else's success and think, why am I not there yet? Yet.
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There's that word again.
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Exactly.
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What helps you stop comparing yourself?
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I try to remember that everyone moves at a different speed.
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That's true.
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Some people learn quickly.
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Some people need more time.
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And that's OK.
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Another small habit is celebrating little progress.
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We usually wait for huge success.
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Yes, but maybe finishing one chapter deserves celebration.
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Or speaking English for five minutes.
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Or trying something new.
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Sometimes we forget to notice our own growth.
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Let me ask you something.
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If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
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I would say, stop being so hard on yourself.
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You're doing better than you think.
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That's beautiful.
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What about you?
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I would say, you don't have to figure everything out right now.
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I think many people need to hear that.
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Life isn't a race.
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And positive thinking isn't about becoming happy every single day.
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It's about choosing hope a little more often.
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Being kinder to yourself.
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Noticing good moments.
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Continuing even when progress feels slow.
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Before we finish, here's a question for everyone listening.
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What is one positive thing in your life right now?
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It can be something big or something very small.
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And what's one kind sentence you can say to yourself today?
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Thank you so much for spending this time with us.
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We hope this conversation brought you a little comfort.
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Remember, you don't need to think positively all the time.
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Just take one small step at a time.
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Take care of yourself.
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And we'll see you again very soon on The Cozy English.
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Bye everyone.
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Bye.

Contesto e Sfondo

Nel video "The Power of Positive Thinking", Emma e Daniel ci introducono a un tema fondamentale nel processo di apprendimento e comunicazione: il pensiero positivo. La conversazione inizia con una discussione su come piccoli imprevisti possano influenzare il nostro umore e la nostra percezione della giornata. Entrambi i relatori condividono esperienze quotidiane, evidenziando come spesso un singolo pensiero negativo possa contagiare il nostro stato d'animo. Questa riflessione è crucial per chi sta imparando l'inglese e desidera migliorare la propria pratica di conversazione in inglese, specialmente attraverso tecniche di shadowing in inglese.

Le 5 Frasi Chiave per la Comunicazione Quotidiana

  • "Questo momento è difficile." - Un modo gentile per esprimere una situazione complicata.
  • "La mia mattina non è andata come previsto." - Aiuta a segnare una differenza senza essere troppo negativo.
  • "Almeno ho una buona storia." - Una frase che invita a vedere il lato positivo delle esperienze negative.
  • "A volte le cose vanno davvero male." - Riconoscere il lato reale della vita senza cadere nel pessimismo.
  • "Posso scegliere come vedere queste situazioni." - Un'affermazione che sottolinea il potere del pensiero positivo.

Guida Passo-Passo per il Shadowing

Per affrontare il video e migliorare le tue capacità di shadow speak, segui questi passaggi semplici ma efficaci:

  1. Ascolta attentamente: Guarda il video senza parlare e ascolta come Emma e Daniel si esprimono. Presta attenzione alla pronunciabilità e alla cadenza.
  2. Ripeti ad alta voce: Inizia a ripetere le frasi immediatamente dopo averle ascoltate. Questo ti aiuterà ad assimilare meglio i suoni e a migliorare la tua dizione.
  3. Focalizzati sull'intonazione: Notate come cambiano il tono e l'emozione nei loro discorsi. Prova a imitare queste variazioni per rendere la tua parlata più naturale.
  4. Esercita la tua pronuncia: Scegli alcune frasi dalla sezione precedente e pratica la pronuncia fino a sentirti sicuro.
  5. Parla con qualcuno: Trova un partner di conversazione e allena le frasi apprese. La pratica di conversazione in inglese è essenziale per consolidare ciò che hai appreso.

Queste tecniche di shadowing non solo ti aiuteranno a migliorare le tue competenze linguistiche ma anche a sviluppare una mentalità più positiva verso l'apprendimento dell'inglese.

Cos'è la tecnica dello Shadowing?

Shadowing è una tecnica di apprendimento delle lingue supportata da studi scientifici, originariamente sviluppata per la formazione dei traduttori professionisti e resa popolare dal poliglotta Dr. Alexander Arguelles. Il metodo è semplice ma potente: ascolti un audio in inglese di madrelingua e lo ripeti immediatamente ad alta voce — come un'ombra che segue il parlante con un ritardo di solo 1–2 secondi. A differenza dell'ascolto passivo o degli esercizi di grammatica, lo shadowing costringe il tuo cervello e i muscoli della bocca a elaborare e riprodurre simultaneamente i modelli di discorso reale. La ricerca dimostra che migliora significativamente la precisione della pronuncia, l'intonazione, il ritmo, il discorso connesso, la comprensione dell'ascolto e la fluidità del parlato — rendendolo uno dei metodi più efficaci per la preparazione alla prova di speaking dell'IELTS e per la comunicazione reale in inglese.